I decided to take a short break from the sad piano vortex & moved north into the Flemish countryside & recorded a drone record. 
Although initially inspired by a recurring dream wherein “if someone listened to the music I created, then they would die.” 
I would like to acknowledge the barbiturate from the album title as both muse and sacred escape: 
“When you are sitting face forward on the daily emotional meat grinder of life, I always wished I could have some, 
so I could just fall asleep automatically and the feeling would not be there anymore.”

Tissue Of Lies

If, 20 years ago, you told me that I'd still be writing about ambient music, I think I would have simply laughed. How much could be said, not just with words but also with these sounds? But as the years appear to speed up, I find myself immersed in it much more (even as I see so many other publications slowly disappear), discovering new layers, space and people who have another story to convey, one that I am happy to be a part of. Regular followers of this site will, without a doubt, recognise my personal connection with the present moment, often hoping to convince myself and others that we should focus on what is instead of how it was before and certainly instead of how it could be. How could it possibly be any other way? How could we not be here and now, experiencing all that's happening around us as it could only be? Are there better times ahead of us, or is it only doomsdays? And does it really matter when we get there in the end? Okay, I'll pause here for a time and focus on the music, premiering for you a piece by Austin-based ambient artist TJ Dumser, who releases music under his Six Missing moniker. This piece is titled "Guidance", and it is taken from his upcoming full-length, Here For Now. Across the twelve pieces on the album, soft pads, swirls, and swooshes are echoed in a faint, reverb-drenched ambient calm, sometimes accompanied by the quiet acoustic guitar strums, sometimes allowed to simply expand into infinite indistinct space. It's in this space where I find myself writing these words. Here for now... and hopefully for a little bit more...

Here For Now

Guidance

TRACK PREMIERE : Six Missing - Guidance

Music possesses transforming powers. By moving its sound waves in time, it's able to guide us through the past and the future. For example, it's been nearly eight years since I listened to the Daughter's 2016 release, Not To Disappear - an album that was tightly intertwined with a particular set of circumstances and some potent feelings in my life. An album which I purposely buried deep in my memory [and some cardboard boxes] so that, at last, I can breathe. The other day, I uncovered this snapshot of time and relistened to it in one sitting. And all of the walls I've built fell apart, and all has returned, once again, with those feelings. It's good, and it's bad, as music can heal, but it also can pick at the scabs with its incessant weeping. And so, instead, I pick out a brand new release, one which I use like a thick coat of paint to brush over the wounds and repair. In this particular case, the remedy comes courtesy of Glowworm, a duo of guitarist Kevin Scott Davis and pianist and vocalist Asia Dojnikowska. That healing begins from the very first track, as the soft, warming tones wash over the edges. From the deep-heated bass to the light-whispered voice, every guitar strum, and each piano key, the music of Harvest is an instant relief for the wandering mind. And even though I admit, I take some sort of unexplainable pleasure in melancholy, darkness and gloom, I also enjoy to be basked in the light of a particular type of wistful, positive, and powerful music. If you are a fan of Hammock, Slow Meadow and Sigur Rós, then you'll know what I mean and will instantly appreciate the sound of Glowworm.

Harvest

Sierpień

TRACK PREMIERE : Glowworm - Sierpień

In the fall of last year, I was asked to participate in Bigo & Twigetti's fifth volume of the Perceptions compilation series, which explores various approaches to piano music. Complimenting the sound of the solo piano, these compositions also utilise nominal processing, sound effects, synthesis, and binaural recording techniques, all aiming to create an immersive listening experience while still showcasing my beloved instrument. As the clock ticked away and the deadline approached, I realised I hadn't found time to compose my contribution. For a few weeks, I've experienced a gnawing feeling of self-imposed pressure, mixed with anxiety and procrastination, that looped on itself and left me fatigued. I'm sure plenty of composers who are reading these words, especially those working on a deadline (like film soundtracks), know what I'm talking about. This, in itself, gave me a taste of this process at work. I learned that I simply cannot try and force things or make them appear. For me, music, as Victor Hugo once said, "expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent…" I needed to have something special to say...

As the end of the year approached, I found myself in that "usual space" of December, where the dark and the cold seemed to mix with my mood, and I recount the days and the moments of passing. There's always reflection on what I've achieved, and of course, I look back at my favourite albums of the year. Somewhere around this time, I arrive at the acceptance of failure, preparing to message the label and withdraw from the project. I think I'm too busy with "all other stuff". Perhaps I'll start over as the new year turns. Perhaps I'll become a bit more organised or not commit myself to the deadlines. In the very last days of the year, I find myself investing time in consoling my friend whose mother has passed away. As always, besides the grief for another, we find ourselves reflecting on our own mortality... and the meaning of it all... As the clock strikes midnight, I am deep asleep. But the morning comes, as it does every morning. And we're at it again, starting fresh and anew. The windows open, and we breathe in and out. Maybe this time, it will be slightly different. Maybe this time we have learned... On the morning of January 1st, I find myself sitting at the piano and playing this simple melody. I hope that you'll hear what I'm saying in music...

Perceptions Vol​​​.​​​5

Morning, January 1st

Mike Lazarev - Morning, January 1st

Time is always speeding up. I feel like we just came out of the New Year's celebration, but the truth is, we are a whole quarter done with 2024. It's time to take a break and possibly slow down. I'll be off for a couple of weeks, recharging my batteries somewhere on the coast of France, but before I leave, I've got one more exciting track premiere to share with you today. This one is courtesy of French producer Maxime Dangles, who previously showed up here with a Pavane Remix of his "Operate" back in 2023. I liked the pure energy and musicality of that piece, and I was excited to preview his upcoming new full-length, titled Le Roman De Carpentier, which the French National Cinema Center commissioned as a soundtrack for the 1913 silent film celebrating the first French boxing world champion. Turning to his arsenal of modular synthesizers and club gear, Dangles focused on blending a perfect balance between ambient, electronica and techno across the twelve tracks on the album. The result, full of excitement and, once again, raw energy and grit, is what has genuinely drawn my attention to some of the pieces here, especially the ambient composition titled "Papa", this being Headphone Commute and all...

Le Roman De Carpentier

Papa

TRACK PREMIERE : Maxime Dangles - Papa

Taken from the upcoming album 'Wave Particles', released through Fluid Audio...

'Wave Particles' is a project that holds special significance for me. It delves into my ongoing fascination with the intricate interplay between nature, consciousness, and technology. Throughout the year, I've had numerous opportunities to explore these themes. I've become particularly intrigued by the role that resonance plays in connecting these elements, fostering a profound sense of interconnectivity within our surroundings.

As we find ourselves at a unique juncture where nature, consciousness, and technology converge. Through this music, I've aimed to capture the threads that bind these elements together - Alex Smalley

Maria Smalley on vocals
Jane Wild plays violi
Alex Smalley plays guitar, process synthesisers and field recordings

Mastering: Alex Smalley
Music: Maria Smalley / Jane Wild / Alex Smalley
Design: Daniel Crossley
Label: Fluid Audio

Wave Particles

Alex Smalley - Duality

Dronarivm is thrilled to announce the release of Enrico Coniglio's highly anticipated album, "The Sirens of Titan". Its title pays homage to the renowned novel by Kurt Vonnegut, inviting listeners on a journey filled with guitar tapestries and space oddities. Enrico Coniglio's personal approach to ambient music promises to transport audiences to uncharted realms of delicate emotions. In "The Sirens of Titan," Coniglio masterfully crafts yet another captivating installment on his musical path, delving deeper into the evocative world of melancholic soundscapes and expanding the horizons of his sonic exploration. 

The limited physical edition is presented as a 6-panel digisleeve with 8 prints on tracing paper, featuring original drawings by Alina Lutaeva (alinalutaeva.art), based on scenes from the novel and created specifically for this release. The digisleeve is packed in a black cardboard slipcase, hand-stamped, and hand-numbered. 

“A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.” 
― Kurt Vonnegut, 'The Sirens of Titan'

All tracks written, arranged and produced by Enrico Coniglio. 
Recorded and mixed in Venice in 2016-2023. 
Cover photo by Dario Camponogara 
Original drawings by Alina Lutaeva 
Mastered by Ian Hawgood

Buy CD / DL

01 Flooded

Today, I'm excited to share with you a new piece by the Icelandic composer Snorri Hallgrímsson, whom I've been closely following since his debut, Orbit, released by Moderna in 2018. Even back then, I could somewhat predict the trajectory of this young artist, who, as I said, has been drinking from the same pool of Icelandic inspiration which has quenched the thirst of some of the world's renowned composers, like Ólafur Arnalds and of course, the dearly missed Jóhann Jóhannsson. Hallgrímsson's sophomore release, I Am Weary, Don’t Let Me Rest, which I am playing right now as I prepare this writeup, was a particular favourite of mine, even as I recognised some of the subtle influence of the above master of the modern classical genre. In this specific case, that should be acknowledged as an enormous compliment - if Jóhann continues to be here through the music of others, I feel slightly better and not so forlorn. This spring, Hallgrímsson returns to Moderna with an original soundtrack for Guy Davidi's documentary called Innocence. "The film is a harrowing insight into what it's like to grow up in a heavily militarized state where military service isn't only compulsory but is seen as a moral and cultural obligation as well." I think the cover of a little girl handling a machine gun tells it all. And yet, it's Hallgrímsson's gorgeous music that takes it to a whole new level.

Innocence (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Girl in the Dark

TRACK PREMIERE : Snorri Hallgrímsson - The Girl In The Dark

Look, I know that many of my opening words often begin with “Today, I am thrilled to share with you a new piece by [so and so]”, but how can I not use the exact same opening line when one of my all-time favourite piano composers reaches out to me to premiere a piece from his newly-announced long-awaited album? This Norwegian musician’s first proper solo studio release appeared on the beloved Sonic Pieces in 2014, which we only later learned to be part of a trilogy of albums. But that doesn’t mean that I spent only the last decade listening to Otto A. Totland – together with his school friend Erik K. Skodvin, the duo has been making beautiful music as Deaf Center, releasing Neon City EP in 2004 on Type. We now see him being backed by Nils Frahm, who not only shares the production credits on his upcoming new album but also releases Exin on his very own Berlin-based LEITER imprint, which he founded with his manager Felix Grimm only a few years ago. This also means that the album was recorded at Frahm’s studio at Funkhaus complex, offering the most beautiful-sounding piano in the hands of the most beautiful-sounding mind. The emotionally charged and sometimes melancholy sound is still present in Totland’s collection of sixteen solo piano pieces, but there is also an upbeat and vibrant tint on a few, including the first single, “Marka”, which follows a classical staccato harmony that I can envision being played on a harpsichord. Yet pieces like “Lys” take me back to that particular flavour of Totland’s sonic tenderness to pull on my heartstrings, allowing me to get lost in those barely audible reverberations of the keys. The piece I’m sharing with you today is called “Rift”, an introspective and sombre reflection in just a few pensive chords.

Exit

Rift

TRACK PREMIERE : Otto A. Totland - Rift

Collection of piano music for peace of mind and relaxation

August Aura

Astral Anthem

Today, I am happy to share with you a new piece of music that will serve as the opening to the upcoming mini-album that I will self-release later this summer. To be honest, with all these written words for many years, talking about all this music by many of my favourite composers, I'm actually pretty shit at self-promoting myself. This is why I usually leave this "job" to the many wonderful labels to spread the word. And then I amplify and filter. "Saturated Signals" is a continuation of my sonic journey initially explored on Sacred Tonalities, which was put out on the amazing Past Inside The Present in February of 2023. Initially, it was conceived as a bonus or a follow-up track until it evolved on its own, as music usually does. I then invited a few of my dear friends to rework the piece and add their special touch to the heavily layered synthesized and organic textures which I provided as a foundation for this piece. Each distinct interpretation offers a perfect tint of the individual composer's aesthetic to create a collective whole that you can experience as a unified journey in half an hour's time, connected by an interweaving theme. I will share Saturated Reworks with the world in just a couple of weeks, followed by the full mini-album, but first, here's the single.

Saturated Signals

TRACK PREMIERE : Mike Lazarev - Saturated Signals

some original solo piano pieces...  some mixes from my podcast... some exclusive track premieres...  and some tracks from the albums I review for Headphone Commute... Enjoy!

TRACK PREMIERE : Otto A. Totland - Rift

Headphone Commute

Related tracks